The United Nations has designed 21 March as "International Day of Forests." Every year on this day the UN celebrates the ways in which forests and trees sustain and protect us. This year the focus is on how forests are key to the planet’s supply of freshwater, which is essential for life. Thank you for water, forests!

Wild Nature Institute's Monica Bond and Derek Lee in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park

Monica Bond with Jon Jue, chair of the Sacramento-Tahoe chapter of the Society of American Foresters.

On Thursday evening, Wild Nature Institute's Monica Bond and Dr. Derek Lee presented their research on spotted owls and wildfire to the Sacramento-Tahoe Chapter of the Society of American Foresters. The presentation encouraged foresters to embrace the ecological value and necessity of high-severity fire for the many native species that need burned forest habitats.

The conversation was lively and stimulating, and we thank the foresters for inviting us to discuss this critical topic.

Wild Nature Institute scientists published a new paper in the Journal of Mammalogy this week that refines methods for counting giraffe and monitoring their populations in Africa. The paper compares three different methods for surveying giraffe and makes recommendations for improving the precision of future estimates. Dr. Derek Lee, Principal Scientist at Wild Nature Institute and lead author of the study said: "Collecting reliable data is the critically important first step to making good decisions that conserve giraffe and other wildlife populations. This paper will inform giraffe research across the continent and will likely reveal some surprises about giraffe populations."

Thank you Tulsa Zoo for supporting Wild Nature Institute's Masai giraffe research and conservation with a generous donation. For all giraffe lovers in the Tulsa area, please visit your local zoo and thank them for their support of field conservation.

Wild Nature Institute's scientists Dr. Derek Lee and Monica Bond presented their Masai giraffe research and conservation work at the Santa Barbara Zoo. The zoo is a supporter of our work, and we were honored to meet their staff as well as their beautiful Masai giraffes. We look forward to partnering with the Santa Barbara Zoo and the Giraffe Conservation Alliance to protect wild giraffes in Tanzania.